hiki_airfandomcom-20200213-history
Controls on garages, vehicles and drivers
Author: Ip Tsz Yan Natalie, BBA (Law) IV; HKU Date: 6/8/10 The Environmental Protection Department has so far not set a date to ban polluting old engines. ‘Hong Kong’s submission to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child - Air Pollution Regulation and the Right to Health’, Civic Exchange, May 2009 – last accessed 11/8/10 One solution to tackle the air pollution problem is to implement the existing rail-led transport policy by giving priority to expanding the rail/underground systems rather than continuing to give priority to building roads. ‘Boomtown to gloomtown – The implications of inaction’, CLSA – Christine Loh, James Paterson, September 2006 – last accessed 11/8/10 Another solution to the air pollution problem is to subsidize the 40,000 pre-Euro diesel vehicles to be replaced with new ones since the maximum emissions benefit can best be reaped by combining cleaner engines with cleaner ultra low sulphur diesel. There should be mandatory requirements for all diesel vehicles to move to Euro IV and Euro V standards. ‘Air Pollution: costs and paths to a solution’, Department of Community Medicine, HKU, Department of Community and Family Medicine, CUHK, Institute for the Environment, HKUST, Civic Exchange, June 2006 – last accessed 11/8/10 Setting a date for all roadworthy vehicles to meet minimum emissions standards (Euro IV is proposed), then mapping a progression to higher standards, and the retirement of all buses beyond 18 years from the date of manufacture should be required. ‘Paying for a Cleaner Bus Fleet: How Government can Break the Long Jam’, Eric Heimark, Helena Lalogianni, Mike Kilburn and Christine Loh, November 2009 – last accessed 11/8/10 There should be introduced public finance initiatives (as with the United Kingdom’s adoption of the Public Finance Initiative model), and the creation of a legal and regulatory framework to assist both the Hong Kong Government and the bus operators in financing the acquisition of cleaner and environmentally friendlier bus fleets. After the next upgrade to Euro IV engine classes, the Government should be exploring the next upgrade that could take place within a decade, where there will be even cleaner fuel source options available, such as natural gas, hybrid and electric buses. The Bus Franchise Agreements should be reviewed to include environmental performance standards and the Certificate of Roadworthiness should be amended to more stringent limit emission levels. Stricter regulation on the qualification of technicians and the appropriateness of equipment used and so on should be enforced for the registration of garages. ‘Hong Kong: Vehicle Related Air Pollution in Support of Action Blue Sky’, Ir Iain Seymour-Hart, October 2007 A vehicle related emissions data collection and management system which includes mechanics’ licensing and garage registration schemes should be developed. Data could be analyzed to produce a profile of the emissions created by the various types of vehicle so as to flag-up inadequately maintained vehicles. Controls on the quality of maintenance need to be applied across all vehicles, including commercial vehicles. Replacement of old commercial vehicles should be done as quickly as possible. Vehicle manufacturers should be required to make all repair manuals openly available so that small and medium sized repairers can achieve a better level of quality when servicing or repairing vehicles. See Also #Alternative air pollution management strategies (overview) #Alternate fuel and energy source #Control on power generation #Management of density and traffic flow #Cross-border management on fuels #Control on marine services, logistics industry and port emissions #More accurate assessment of loss and monitoring activities #Communication with the public and increase awareness #Government bodies involved with the AQOs should act promptly Footnotes Category:Alternative Strategies Category:Transport Category:Hiki-Air